Henry Helstoski
Encyclopedia
Henry Helstoski was an American politician
. Helstoski, a Democrat
, represented New Jersey
in the United States House of Representatives
for twelve years, lasting from 1965 until 1977. He was the representative for New Jersey's 8th congressional district
. Helstoski is best remembered for being indicted
on charges of receiving bribes
from illegal aliens
in 1976, but he was never tried as all his charges were dropped by the United States Supreme Court
.
town of Wallington, New Jersey
. He attended public schools in Wallington and Rutherford
. After the completion of high school, Helstoski enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps
and served as an instructor and radio technician until the end of World War II
in 1945. After the war, he went to Paterson State College
and graduated from Montclair State Teachers College
with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1947 and Master of Arts
degree in 1949. Over the next thirteen years, Helstoski served as a teacher, high school principal and finally superintendent
of all Bergen County schools. In 1956 he served as councilman of East Rutherford, New Jersey
, and he served as Mayor of East Rutherford, New Jersey from 1957 until 1965. During his term as mayor, Helstoski also served as a management consultant in advertising until 1964.
, then ran for the House of Representatives
seat for New Jersey's 8th congressional district
. The anti-Vietnam War
Helstoski beat the nine-term Republican
incumbent Frank C. Osmers, Jr.
by 2,428 votes to win the election, and he was sworn in to the 89th United States Congress
on January 3, 1965. In 1969, Helstoski ran for Governor of New Jersey
, becoming a candidate in the election just thirty minutes before the filing deadline, and he finished third in the Democratic primary behind former governor Robert B. Meyner
. In Congress, he served as a member of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce from 1971 to 1974.
After being re-elected five more times to the House of Representatives, Helstoski ran into some problems. First, in 1975, he became the target of a federal corruption investigation that would span two years and four grand juries
. In April of the following year, his brother was convicted of filing a false income tax
return. In the 1976 congressional elections, three-time state assemblyman Byron Baer
challenged Helstoski in the Democratic primary. A week before the primary, Helstoski was indicted on charges of extortion
from illegal aliens from Chile
and Argentina
who in exchange wanted Helstoski to support a bill that let them remain in the United States. He was also accused of obstruction of justice
, providing a false testimony before a grand jury, and conspiracy
, in order to influence other witnesses to lie. In the primary, Helstoski polled 20,189 to 18,520 against Baer, winning as a result of 2,000 absentee ballot
s that had nearly a unanimous vote for Helstoski. Fraud allegations resulted, and a judge ordered the absentee ballots to be impounded for the time being. The challenge by Baer dragged on for months, until New Jersey Superior Court
Judge John Marzulli ordered that a new primary election be held on September 21. In the new election, Helstoski captured 55% of the vote, and was proclaimed the Democratic candidate for the election against Harold Hollenbeck, a state assemblyman and senator. Hollenbeck ended up winning the election against Helstoski, capturing a 54%-46% margin.
The Supreme Court
ruled against government lawyers on several of the counts, and the others were dropped. One of Helstoski's outside counsel, Alfred Porro, was indicted, convicted and sentenced to six years in the Lewisburg Federal Prison Camp.
After failing in his re-election bid, Helstoski ran again in the 1978 election
as an independent, winning only 13% of the vote. He ran in the Democratic primary in 1980
, but lost to Gabriel Ambrosio, who lost the general election to Hollenbeck. In 1981, Helstoski became the superintendent of the North Bergen School District
, and held that position until 1985. He later served as a public relations consultant. Helstoski died on December 16, 1999, at the age of 74, in Wayne, New Jersey
.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
. Helstoski, a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, represented New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for twelve years, lasting from 1965 until 1977. He was the representative for New Jersey's 8th congressional district
New Jersey's 8th congressional district
New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District is currently represented by Democrat Bill Pascrell.-Counties and municipalities in the district:For the 108th and successive Congresses , the district contains all, or portions of 2 counties and 21 municipalities.Essex County:Passaic County:2010...
. Helstoski is best remembered for being indicted
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
on charges of receiving bribes
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
from illegal aliens
Illegal immigration to the United States
An illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
in 1976, but he was never tried as all his charges were dropped by the United States Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
.
Background
Helstoski was born in the Bergen CountyBergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
town of Wallington, New Jersey
Wallington, New Jersey
Wallington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,335.Wallington was created as a borough on January 2, 1895 , at the height of the "Boroughitis" fever then sweeping through Bergen County...
. He attended public schools in Wallington and Rutherford
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
. After the completion of high school, Helstoski enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
and served as an instructor and radio technician until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1945. After the war, he went to Paterson State College
William Paterson University
William Paterson University is a comprehensive public institution located in Wayne, New Jersey serving nearly 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students through five colleges: , , , , and ....
and graduated from Montclair State Teachers College
Montclair State University
Montclair State University is a public research university located in the Upper Montclair section of Montclair, the Great Notch area of Little Falls, and Clifton, New Jersey. As of October 2009, there were 18,171 total enrolled students: 14,139 undergraduate students and 4,032 graduate students...
with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1947 and Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in 1949. Over the next thirteen years, Helstoski served as a teacher, high school principal and finally superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of all Bergen County schools. In 1956 he served as councilman of East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
, and he served as Mayor of East Rutherford, New Jersey from 1957 until 1965. During his term as mayor, Helstoski also served as a management consultant in advertising until 1964.
Politics
Helstoski, a DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, then ran for the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
seat for New Jersey's 8th congressional district
New Jersey's 8th congressional district
New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District is currently represented by Democrat Bill Pascrell.-Counties and municipalities in the district:For the 108th and successive Congresses , the district contains all, or portions of 2 counties and 21 municipalities.Essex County:Passaic County:2010...
. The anti-Vietnam War
Opposition to the Vietnam War
The movement against US involvment in the in Vietnam War began in the United States with demonstrations in 1964 and grew in strength in later years. The US became polarized between those who advocated continued involvement in Vietnam, and those who wanted peace. Peace movements consisted largely of...
Helstoski beat the nine-term Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
incumbent Frank C. Osmers, Jr.
Frank C. Osmers, Jr.
Frank C. Osmers, Jr. was an American Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey's 9th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1939–1943 and again from 1951-1965.Born in Leonia, New Jersey on December 30, 1907, Osmers attended the local public schools...
by 2,428 votes to win the election, and he was sworn in to the 89th United States Congress
89th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President of the Senate: Hubert Humphrey , starting January 20, 1965* President pro tempore: Carl Hayden - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader and Democratic Conference Chairman: Mike Mansfield...
on January 3, 1965. In 1969, Helstoski ran for Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
, becoming a candidate in the election just thirty minutes before the filing deadline, and he finished third in the Democratic primary behind former governor Robert B. Meyner
Robert B. Meyner
Robert Baumle Meyner of Phillipsburg, New Jersey was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 44th Governor of New Jersey, from 1954 to 1962...
. In Congress, he served as a member of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce from 1971 to 1974.
After being re-elected five more times to the House of Representatives, Helstoski ran into some problems. First, in 1975, he became the target of a federal corruption investigation that would span two years and four grand juries
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
. In April of the following year, his brother was convicted of filing a false income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
return. In the 1976 congressional elections, three-time state assemblyman Byron Baer
Byron Baer
Byron M. Baer was an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature. He served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1972 - 1993 and in the State Senate from 1994 - 2005, where he represented the 37th Legislative District...
challenged Helstoski in the Democratic primary. A week before the primary, Helstoski was indicted on charges of extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
from illegal aliens from Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
who in exchange wanted Helstoski to support a bill that let them remain in the United States. He was also accused of obstruction of justice
Obstruction of justice
The crime of obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, refers to the crime of interfering with the work of police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors, or other officials...
, providing a false testimony before a grand jury, and conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
, in order to influence other witnesses to lie. In the primary, Helstoski polled 20,189 to 18,520 against Baer, winning as a result of 2,000 absentee ballot
Absentee ballot
An absentee ballot is a vote cast by someone who is unable or unwilling to attend the official polling station. Numerous methods have been devised to facilitate this...
s that had nearly a unanimous vote for Helstoski. Fraud allegations resulted, and a judge ordered the absentee ballots to be impounded for the time being. The challenge by Baer dragged on for months, until New Jersey Superior Court
New Jersey Superior Court
The Superior Court is the state court in the U.S. state of New Jersey, with state-wide trial and appellate jurisdiction. The Superior Court has three divisions: the Appellate Division is essentially an intermediate appellate court while the Law and Chancery Divisions function as trial courts...
Judge John Marzulli ordered that a new primary election be held on September 21. In the new election, Helstoski captured 55% of the vote, and was proclaimed the Democratic candidate for the election against Harold Hollenbeck, a state assemblyman and senator. Hollenbeck ended up winning the election against Helstoski, capturing a 54%-46% margin.
The Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
ruled against government lawyers on several of the counts, and the others were dropped. One of Helstoski's outside counsel, Alfred Porro, was indicted, convicted and sentenced to six years in the Lewisburg Federal Prison Camp.
After failing in his re-election bid, Helstoski ran again in the 1978 election
United States House elections, 1978
The U.S. House election, 1978 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1978 which occurred in the middle of President Jimmy Carter's term, when the country was going through an energy crisis and facing rapid inflation...
as an independent, winning only 13% of the vote. He ran in the Democratic primary in 1980
United States House elections, 1980
The U.S. House election, 1980 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1980 which coincided with the election of Ronald Reagan as President. Reagan's victory also allowed many Republican House candidates to secure election, and the Republicans gained a net of 35 seats from...
, but lost to Gabriel Ambrosio, who lost the general election to Hollenbeck. In 1981, Helstoski became the superintendent of the North Bergen School District
North Bergen School District
The North Bergen School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from North Bergen, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States....
, and held that position until 1985. He later served as a public relations consultant. Helstoski died on December 16, 1999, at the age of 74, in Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne is a Township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, located less than from midtown Manhattan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 54,069....
.
External links
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States CongressBiographical Directory of the United States CongressThe Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress as well as its predecessor, the Continental Congress...
- The Political Graveyard profile for Henry Helstoski